Max Verstappen hopes Nico Hulkenberg’s starring performance in qualifying for Formula 1’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix will “give🍌 h🏅im a seat for next year”.

In just his second qualifying session at Silverstone since being called up to replace Racing Point regular Sergio Perez, who has tested positive 🦂for COVID-19, Hulkenberg impressed as he outqualified Max Verstappen’s Red Bull to claim third on the grid.

Hulkenberg was only slower than the dominant Mercedes duo of Valtteri Bottas and championship leader Lewis♔ Hamilton, while he was four-tenths faster than Racing Point teammate Lance Stroll.

The 32-year-old German admitted he was surprised by his own performanceᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ and “didn't expect” to qualify third, despite the well-documented potential of his RP20.

Speaking about Hulkenberg’s display, Verstappen said: “I'm very happy for Nico. He should have been already on the grid normally and I hope that this will give him a seat for n🍃ext year.”

It marked Hulkenberg’s best qualifying result since he qualified inside the front two rows of the grid at the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix when he drove for the then-Forc๊e India squ♈ad.

Six-times world champion Hamilton added: “He did a great job today and I hope he do💜es a 💦good job tomorrow. It's good to see him back.”

Daniel Ricciardo, who is t𝓡argeting Hulkenberg in Sunday’s race after qualifying two positions behind his former Renault teammate in fifth, was also impressed by the German’s performance.

“The Hulk's come in - I think he's adjusted his neck this week! - and he's free and ready to go! Honestly, hats off to him. We all know that car's working,🅺 but I don't ওjust want to say it's the car.

"He has obviously done a really good job and to be sitting on the couch for so long, it's not eaﷺsy. Even though he's a veteran, it's not easy to do that - I don't care what anyone says - so hats off to him, he's done a really good job."